The South Africa vs West Indies 2nd ODI was an exciting match that took place on March 18th, 2023, at the same venue as the first ODI, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. After a dominant performance in the first ODI, South Africa was looking to continue their winning momentum, while the West Indies was hoping to bounce back and level the series.
SATURDAY, 18 MARCH 2023
TIME: 2:30 PM ET
TIME: 10:30 PM GMT
The West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first. They got off to a shaky start, losing their first wicket in the very first over. However, Shimron Hetmyer and Darren Bravo steadied the innings with a partnership of 80 runs. The Proteas bowlers, led by Kagiso Rabada and Andile Phehlukwayo, picked up wickets at regular intervals to put the West Indies under pressure. Despite some late-order resistance from the West Indies lower order, they were bowled out for 166 runs in 45.3 overs.
Kagiso Rabada was the standout performer for South Africa, picking up 3 wickets for just 37 runs. Andile Phehlukwayo and Tabraiz Shamsi also picked up 2 wickets each.
In reply, South Africa got off to a solid start, with their opening duo of Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks putting up a partnership of 73 runs. However, the West Indies bowlers struck back and picked up wickets at crucial intervals to put pressure on the South African batsmen. The Proteas lost wickets in quick succession, and it looked like the match was slipping away from them. However, David Miller played a crucial knock of 71 runs and took South Africa over the finish line.
David Miller’s innings was the difference between the two teams, and he was rightly awarded the Player of the Match. His knock included 6 fours and 4 sixes, and he batted with composure and maturity to take South Africa to victory.
The win gave South Africa an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, and they would be looking to complete a clean sweep in the final match. The win also marked a remarkable turnaround for the Proteas, who had faced a lot of criticism for their poor performances in international cricket in recent times.
The West Indies, on the other hand, would be disappointed with their performance in the series so far. The team had a poor run in the recent T20I series against South Africa, and their performance in the ODI series has been below par. The team has struggled to put up competitive scores, and their bowlers have failed to pick up wickets at crucial intervals.
There were some standout performances in the match that deserve a special mention. Kagiso Rabada was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa, picking up 3 wickets for just 37 runs. His accurate and hostile bowling put the West Indies batsmen under pressure and restricted their scoring rate. David Miller’s knock was also crucial for South Africa, and he showed his class and experience in a high-pressure situation.
Overall, the South Africa vs West Indies 2nd ODI was an exciting match that saw South Africa emerge victorious. The match had some great performances from both teams, but it was the Proteas who came out on top once again. The win would give South Africa a lot of confidence, and they would look to complete a clean sweep in the final match of the series. The West Indies, on the other hand, would need to regroup quickly and come up with a better plan for the final match.
The third ODI of the series took place on July 14th, 2021, and South Africa completed a clean sweep by winning the match by 60 runs.